Bama delivers BCS knockout of Georgia, 32-28, in SEC Championship
With a BCS championship bid on the line, a heavyweight boxing match broke out at the Georgia Dome on Saturday, and it was defending national champion Alabama that delivered the knock-out blow in a 32-28 slugfest.
But give the Georgia Bulldogs credit. They got up off the mat and nearly won it.
With no timeouts and 85 yards to go with 1:08 to play, Georgia’s Aaron Murray got his team down to the Alabama 8. But rather than spike the ball with about nine seconds left, the Bulldogs elected to run another play. Murray’s pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage and caught by flanker Chris Conley at the 5. He fell to the ground inbounds, and the last four seconds ticked off the clock.
“I told the players I was disappointed, but not disappointed in them,” a forlorn Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “It was a knock-down, drag-out fight, and everybody was swinging. We just ran out of time.”
For the No. 2-ranked Crimson Tide (12-1), the victory means a third trip to the BCS championship game in the past four years. They won the previous two. Alabama will face undefeated and No. 1-ranked Notre Dame (12-0) on Jan. 7.
But Alabama coach Nick Saban indicated he and his players will enjoy the school’s 23rd SEC title for a while before worrying about that one.
“My focus right now is to give the players the positive gratification they deserve,” Alabama coach Nick Saban. “I don’t even know what the date of the (BCS) game is. We probably won’t practice for a couple of weeks.”
The Bulldogs (11-2), who haven’t won a national championship since 1980 and haven’t played for one in 30 years, will play Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando.
Richt’s decision not to spike the ball at the 8 and instead run a hurry-up play will be debated for a while. A 26-yard catch by Arthur Lynch with 15 seconds remaining got the Bulldogs to the 8. There were about nine seconds remaining by the time Georgia lined up.
Murray rushed the offense into formation and tried to hit Malcolm Mitchell with a pass in the back right of the end zone. But the ball was tipped at the line of scrimmage, and Conley caught the ball inbounds at the 5-yard line.
“I know in hindsight now the ball wasn’t meant to go my way,” Conley said. “It was tipped at the line and, unfortunately I wasn’t able to make a smart play. Instinctively I grabbed the ball when I probably should let it go.”
Richt vehemently defended the decision.
“You don’t need to spike the ball there,” he said. “We had the play we wanted. It takes time to spike the ball, and we’re thinking about more than one play there.”
But that wasn’t where Georgia lost the game. The Bulldogs were manhandled up front by the Crimson Tide, who managed to run for 350 of their 512 yards. Junior tailback Eddie Lacy earned most valuable player honors with 181 yards and two touchdowns and his freshman backup T.J. Yeldon added 153 and another score. The Crimson Tide had the ball for nearly 38 minutes to Georgia’s 22:25.
“We did a great job of running the ball in the second half,” Saban said. “And the reason we did it was we couldn’t handle the pass rush.”
“I like the way we played,” said Jarvis Jones, who had six tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks. “I think we challenged them for 60 minutes. We came four seconds from playing for the BCS title. I’m just proud of all these guys that sacrificed for us to get here.”
Georgia freshman Todd Gurley had 122 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. Murray finished 18-of-33 passing for 265 yards with a touchdown and an interception and was sacked three times. Tavarres King led the Bulldogs with five catches for 142 yards.
“Oh, man, it was crazy the way that it was so close,” Murray said. “That’s something you dream of as a little kid, to win the game like that. It’s just crappy the way it ended, that’s for sure.”
Saturday’s game was essentially a BCS championship semifinal, and the two teams played accordingly. After exchanging the lead three times in the second half, Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron hit Amari Cooper for a 45-yard touchdown pass down the left sideline for the game-winning score. Cooper, who had 127 yards on seven catches, got behind sophomore nickel back Damian Swann on the play, which came with 3:15 remaining.
On the ensuing possession, Murray was sacked on first down by linebacker Adrian Hubbard — a sophomore from Norcross — who stunted inside on a blitz for the 8-yard loss. Georgia ended up punting the ball to Alabama with 2:17 remaining, and it appeared the game might end like that.
But the Bulldogs used their final two timeouts and forced Alabama into a three-and-out. Mitchell’s fair catch at the 15 with 1:08 left gave Georgia one final shot.
COMPLETE COVERAGE OF SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:
Game story: Alabama delivers BCS knockout of Georgia, 32-28
Bradley column: Five yards short in bitter defeat a winning UGA effort
Schultz column: Georgia earns respect in defeat, but loss not easy to take
The final drive and play: An agonizing ending for Georgia
What they said: post-game comments from players, coaches on both teams
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834 comments Add your comment
AtlG8tr
December 2nd, 2012
7:11 am
Another proud loss. You all specialize in those since 1980. National titles? Not so much.
Milledgeville Dawg
December 2nd, 2012
7:14 am
The Dawgs played a great game. Bama got a few more breaks, some courtesy of the officials. It was a hard fought game and the Dawgs made it close. One of the best games I’ve seen all year. The Dawgs played their hearts out and I’m proud of every one of them. Glad to call myself a Dawg fan.
LMAO @ Puppies, who are the FAILCANTS of the NFL
December 2nd, 2012
7:14 am
Ha ha ha..FAILCANTS are failures too in big games…
greatgame
December 2nd, 2012
7:21 am
Both teams played a great game and someone had to be the loser. Congrats to Alabama and UGA you gained some respect for being an elite team. UGA left it all on the field!!!!!!!!!!!
deandog
December 2nd, 2012
7:25 am
HEY BREAKING NEWS!!!!!! WALMART HAS ONE HELOFA SALE ON UGA DAWGGGGGS SWEAT PANTS AND TEE SHIRTS AND WELL IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS. HOW CLASSY IS THAT?!
GOOD SELECTION, FINAL MARKDOWN LAST NIGHT; 80% OFF THE ALREADY 80% OFF AND A 25% CASHBACK OF ORIGIONAL PRICE AT CHECKOUT.
Gator CHOMP
December 2nd, 2012
7:29 am
Georgia does not deserve the Sugar Bowl what so ever. You lost the game it doesn’t matter how close it matters you lost and have two on the season. This is only the third ranked team Georgia has played all year and is sad to say it showed. Florida beat 4 teams in the top 12 of the BCS and Georgia beat 1 so why in the world would you say Georiga had the better season. It is only going to get worst for next year because of the NFL draft and all the players UGA will lose.
AtlG8tr
December 2nd, 2012
7:43 am
Looking forward to President Mitt Romney greeting this proud Dawg team at the White House.
GT
December 2nd, 2012
7:45 am
Great game.
Tifton Dawg
December 2nd, 2012
7:46 am
thanks yellow fuzz!
Rodster
December 2nd, 2012
7:50 am
It was a great game. UGA you played a really good game. Two very good teams.
???????
December 2nd, 2012
7:52 am
Wayne, buddy one out of two ain’t bad. That loss to Bama was not humiliating, that was a heck of a game and a very tough loss for the Dawgs. SC, now that was humiliating.
Athens Dog
December 2nd, 2012
7:57 am
@deandog- Look, another Yech troll on the UGA blog, since she has nothing to say after losing (yet again) to FL. State… don’t worry though, the Music City Bowl is looking for a good high school team with a losing record. Punk!
MEE Cee
December 2nd, 2012
8:00 am
Me see Bama run up about 350 yards on the ground against that vastly improved UGA defense. Me see too that UGA still had a chance to win against Bama when Bama made several crucial mistakes. Fun game to watch, but if Bama doesn’t squander the clock at the end of the half, and if UGA simply blocks the punt and doesn’t have the ball bounce right into Ogletrees hands and doesn’t go untouched for a TD and if Bama doesn’t have a delay of game penalty on the fake punt, then this game would have shown an entirely different score. The “IF” game works wonders. MeSay.
tony
December 2nd, 2012
8:02 am
Richt took exception with a question by a media member during Saturday’s post-game presser.
In the final question of Richt’s session, local sports radio personality Chuck Oliver stated that “there are some people, whether it’s fans, media or whomever else that will maybe want to make further conclusions about you or your quarterback, specifically in big games. Would you have a response to those people?”
Richt responded, “I don’t know what you are saying. Why don’t you say it straight up what you’re trying to say?”
Oliver did just that.
“People will say that you and Aaron Murray , specifically, come up short on the biggest stage against the biggest opponents?
Richt: “Is that what you’re saying or everybody else – if that’s what you’re saying? Are you saying that?”
Oliver: “No, I’m saying I hear that every day.”
Richt: “Well, that’s for you to worry about then. If that’s what you say, then I’ll answer the question. If you think other people are saying that, I’m not worried about that. I want to say something else. If anybody thinks our guys didn’t play their tail off and Aaron Murray didn’t play his tail off, they are crazy. That’s unbelievable that somebody would even bring that up.”
______________________________________________
Turn the other cheek Mr Richt and humble yourself. Matthew 5:39/Luke 18:14
LawDawg
December 2nd, 2012
8:04 am
J Graves- you are being delusional if you think that we will ever win a championship. It won’t happen. Good, but not great, and never will be.
Jimnalph
December 2nd, 2012
8:07 am
The loss to ALcould not happen to a sorrier group of fair weather fans. I love to see UGA lose because so many of them are mean and nasty and just sorry, unsportsmanlike losers. It is funny how UGA seems to hire good, upstanding men as coaches that does not matter to these fans.
King Gator
December 2nd, 2012
8:10 am
2nd place ribbon awarded. But at least you beat the Gators, stop by anytime to see our BCS titles. Really was a good game though.
Dan Ryan
December 2nd, 2012
8:21 am
Friends,
We did see the national championship last night at the Georgia Dome.
Bama will embarrass the Domers and Georgia would have done the same.
I am extremely proud to be a SEC fan. What a great game by two gallant teams!
H
December 2nd, 2012
8:22 am
Alabama is similiar to Duke now in Basketball. God forbid you call something against them. Too blatantly obvious.
dreammaker
December 2nd, 2012
8:24 am
Georgia..needs to fire richt..he is such a poor coach no emotions…both schools owe the very TALENTED YOUNG BLACK AMERICANS MEN FOR WHERE THEY ARE AND SHOULD TREAT THEM BETTER..GOSH THESE FELLA,S ARE TALETENTED AND ENERGETIC..and they make millions for colleges and pay part of saint richts 4 million a year..as a white 60yr old man i respect blacks and been fond of them ..AND I,M JEALOUS OF THESE YOUNG MEN AND THE ENERGY….ONLY FOR RICHT TO F***K IT UP BY NOT SPIKING THE BALL..he gets his 4 million anyway these kids get nothing fire him!!!!
Ckgator
December 2nd, 2012
8:26 am
We’re going here: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=v45kD5s3nPs
And you’re not.
Ckgator
December 2nd, 2012
8:30 am
Dream maker – very bizarre observation to cite race in all of this. It’s just a game and Richt had his team prepared.
loveatl falcons
December 2nd, 2012
8:32 am
i strongly agree dreamaker..where would these univerties be without these very talented very quick black american men..I TOO AM WHITE AND VERY,VERY JEALOUS..I,M WHITE AND IN GOOD SHAPE BUT CANT COMPETE WITH THESE GUYS..WOW!!i also admire the black men and their athelectic ability…i was at the game these young men are lightening fast..
Rome Observer
December 2nd, 2012
8:32 am
I can’t help but feel bad for Coach Richt. What a great, classy guy, but a national chapionship does not seem to be in the cards for him. He’s my coach at UGA forever. Life just doesn’t seem fair though when a nice guy like him can’t finish first on the field. But there’s no doubt he’ll be welcomed at the head of the line of the banquet to follow. Maybe the Domers will bring some fairness back to this life. I don’t know. Just shaking my head.
IToldYaSooooo
December 2nd, 2012
8:34 am
Your rooms in Shreveport are ready. (We couldn’t waste water cleaning the linens so we just turned them inside out. Please bring your own towels.)
FB
December 2nd, 2012
8:39 am
“I Told Yo Soooo”. You are Notrodamus. You probably predicted we would lose to UT, Florida, Ole Miss, etc. thanks for you input and go upstairs to check on your mom.
JoeDawgsFan
December 2nd, 2012
8:40 am
ONE OF THE GREATEST GAMES IN GEORGIA FOOTBALL HISTORY …
EVERY GEORGIA FAN SHOULD BE PROUD AND SUPPORTIVE OF THIS TEAM!
THEY REPRESENTED …
Slim
December 2nd, 2012
8:41 am
The officiating in this game was horrible. Bama never tipped the ball (terrible call by the ref and on the replay it was evident) and Eddie Lacy crossed the goal line on the fumble (CBS didn’t help on this call). In every game there’re good and bad calls for each team, but C.J. Mossley was clearly held on one of Georgia’s TD and the ref just sat there. Oh and what about the block in the back on a kick that CBS and everyone and there brothers saw, but no flag thrown on Georgia. While Georgia fans are hurting over the last couple of plays, don’t forget there were many plays/calls that went your way.
Tarryuga
December 2nd, 2012
8:41 am
DAMN IT. Hell of a game!
11-2, what the hell’s wrong with that? Yes, one more would’ve been awesome but everyone who thought Bama was gonna roll over UGA in the game, well, they didn’t. They won, they didn’t roll. Congrats to both teams!
Now, I hate Notre Dame and Bama so there will be no Championship game in my house.
GO DAWGS, SIC’EM in whatever bowl you get chosen for and us Dawgs fans know you are going to play your hearts out again!
I hate it for whoever you do play!
loveatl falcons
December 2nd, 2012
8:43 am
FIRE RICHT!!!
Not A Dawg Fan
December 2nd, 2012
8:44 am
The AJC keeps reporting “9 seconds left”. There were 9 seconds left when the ball was snapped. There were about 15 seconds left when they were headed up to the line. Murray should have clocked it and given Georgia a chance to catch its breath and remind players that if the pass result isn’t in the end zone, you can’t catch it. He didn’t, they didn’t, the ball was caught on the field of play — game over. I’m not a Georgia fan but was pulling for them yesterday. That last 15 seconds was a coaching failure that will cast shadow over an otherwise great game for Georgia.
ESPN NEWS
December 2nd, 2012
8:45 am
Breaking headlines out of Athens, GA…. University of Georgia officially changes the name of the schools mascots to “SPIKE”. lol!!!
Ckgator
December 2nd, 2012
8:48 am
Q: What does a Georgia fan do after winning a BCS title?
A: Turn off the Playstation.
Keeping it REAL
December 2nd, 2012
8:53 am
I would love to see some of the couch potatoes on this blog say something to one of georgia’s players, off the record, it would not happen……lot of gutless cowards on this site. You would pee down your leg worried about getting snatched.
Go to your adult soccer league today and play. You can blame the goalie today for your next loss.
Maybe you could pull out your high school year book and look at your team pictures….you know the ones of you in the marching band.
Motocross Survivor
December 2nd, 2012
8:54 am
Everyone seems to ask why Murray didn’t spike. A better question might be why didn’t Conley simply bat down the ball instead of catch it and fall to the ground allowing time to run out..
Capt Steve Superior
December 2nd, 2012
8:57 am
sam olens is a repulsive as clown, i’m happy his team lost
Armydawg
December 2nd, 2012
8:59 am
Georgia President Michael Adams, the AD and others in high positions should have told Slive last night that either UGA gets the Sugar or we stay home. There is no way Florida should waltz into New Orleans after the way Georgia played last night. You get us in the Sugar or we will enjoy Christmas with our families.
Bitter dawg fan
December 2nd, 2012
9:05 am
God blessed these two teams——TOP OF THE WORLD to my BOYZEE
——–CONGRATS to bamma—(except finebomb)
———–CLASSY FANS ON BOTH SIDES———–
———–players of the game—bamma—mosley///uga—tree
————NO LOOSERS HERE—-THANKS DAWGS–COACH RICHT AND STAFF
Bitter dawg fan
December 2nd, 2012
9:08 am
@ PHIL—–GO FU** YOURSELF——–UGA proved there truly the# 2 team
———-bamma will cruch N/D——-phil chose another team to support
Ace
December 2nd, 2012
9:12 am
UGA goes 1-2 against good teams, but the are “proud” losers, while the Gators get the Sugar Bowl.
See what proud gets you.
*Alabama vs Notre Dame
December 2nd, 2012
9:12 am
If Nick Saban and all of the honest alabama fans feel comfortable with that” paid for win” last night then I hope your happy and I hope you lose to Notre Dame. You had help all night long from the refs. EVERYONE in America who watched this game saw it all. The dirty shot on Aaron Murray, the numerous times Jarvis Jones was TACKLED, AND all the freaking holding calls that went uncalled. If you Nick Saban want step up and say this game was not fair, then you are not the man I thought you were. And to all the Alabama fans who can sleep at night knowing your team was not the best team last night,and walked away with a gimme, then youre all crooks too. The asterick should remain there forever. Its time the bullcrap stops. College football has become a moral dissapointment. And for Mike Slive, Ive got a few words for you. ROY KRAMER. He would be a man, stand up and say, wait a freaking minute!!!!! Lets look at this……
Phil
December 2nd, 2012
9:13 am
phil,
First of all the ball was tipped at the line of scrimmage, that pass was not intended for Conley, it was intended for Mitchell in the corner of the endzone. So they were not throwing it short. Conley’s instinct is to catch the ball, not intentionally drop it, so you can’t fault him for that. Yes it would have been better if he dropped it, but in that chaotic last few seconds it would be hard for him to run all that through his mind in a split second. I don’t blame Conley at all, it’s just one of those unfortunate things.
Ace
December 2nd, 2012
9:14 am
UGA can not win the big one, fact.
BRYCE
December 2nd, 2012
9:14 am
Rambo was a no show! He didn’t want any part of Lacy after he tried to tackle him one time. Rambo stayed on the outskirts still trying to pull the ball out after other people had made the hits.
Rambo didn’t want any part of those big Alabama running backs.
Way to go Rambo.
*Alabama vs Notre Dame
December 2nd, 2012
9:18 am
Army Dog,
I agree with you 100%. Great post!
Slim
December 2nd, 2012
9:24 am
LSU last year and Bama this year…
danny
December 2nd, 2012
9:25 am
I’ve never been prouder in my life to be a Georgia Bulldog. Those guys left everything on that field and that’s all you can ask in a game like that.
Sunny Purdue
December 2nd, 2012
9:27 am
Dawgs are 1-2 against schools ranked in the top ten. Next year play a tougher schedule and win the tough games. UGA does not deserve a BCS bid over Texas A&M, LSU or FL.
DAW-GONE
December 2nd, 2012
9:30 am
Can anyone recommend a good place to eat and drink in New Orleans for a hungry Gator? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Ace
December 2nd, 2012
9:34 am
Proud losers head to Florida for bowl games, last couple of years that didn’t go good.